Essential oils are a huge part of my bedtime routine. In addition to my white noise machine that I mentioned in my previous blog post about getting a good night's sleep, I have an essential oil diffuser I turn on about thirty minutes before I go to sleep. Essential oils have become very popular in… Continue reading The Importance of Essential Oils
Tag: chronic illness
A Book Review: What Doesn’t Kill You
I recently read Tessa Miller's book titled What Doesn't Kill You which has proved to be a big hit in the chronic illness community. A member of my support group recommended the book to me and without hesitation, I bought it. Through every word, I felt connected. By the end, I just hoped that even… Continue reading A Book Review: What Doesn’t Kill You
A Mother’s Day Tribute: The Caregiver’s Perspective
This past weekend was Mother's Day and as a tribute to my mom I wanted to talk about the caregiver's perspective of life with IBD. Not only did the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis change my life, it changed my family's life. Not many people talk about how a chronic illness diagnosis affects those around them… Continue reading A Mother’s Day Tribute: The Caregiver’s Perspective
Lessons I’ve Learned Living on My Own
It has been one month since I moved out of the comfort of my parent's house. While this month has been the toughest month of my life, I have learned a lot along the way. Living on your own is definitely not easy. It requires a lot of extra effort, which sometimes I do not… Continue reading Lessons I’ve Learned Living on My Own
The Enneagram Personality Test
Recently, a friend mentioned the Enneagram personality test to me which I had never heard of before. Apparently, this test has been gaining traction in recent years and is a great way to learn more about yourself including the patterns in how you interpret the world and manage your emotions. The Enneagram test describes nine… Continue reading The Enneagram Personality Test
Balancing Your Health and Career Goals
Those of us with chronic illness are warriors. That's why we like to push ourselves to our limits because we want to show everyone that we can do whatever we set our minds to. We often push ourselves so much so that we end up compromising on our health. This is not a healthy habit.… Continue reading Balancing Your Health and Career Goals
Planning for Travel with a Chronic Illness
Planning for travel can be a daunting process when you have extra needs. When I studied abroad in Chile during the summer of 2019, my diagnosis was still pretty new for me. At the time, my symptoms were under control, but I still carried the fear of "what if I start to flare-up while traveling?"… Continue reading Planning for Travel with a Chronic Illness
Setting Goals with a Chronic Illness
Being diagnosed with a chronic illness can put a wrench in the plans you have for your life. It certainly did for me. Setting goals can be a daunting process, but it does not always have to be. The approach I like to take when setting goals is starting small. Each day, I set about… Continue reading Setting Goals with a Chronic Illness
Advice for the Newly Diagnosed
So you just found out you've been diagnosed with a chronic illness. What now? Maybe you don't know your diagnosis yet, but you suffer with debilitating symptoms and chronic pain? For many IBD patients, it can take months, even years, to receive a proper diagnosis. You are often left wondering, "What's wrong with me?" and… Continue reading Advice for the Newly Diagnosed
Navigating Change with a Chronic Illness
This past weekend, I moved out of my parent's house where I have lived for the past 18 years of my life. It was tough saying goodbye to my parents, my dog and the house that I have grown to love over the years. Change is hard for me, especially when I have the added… Continue reading Navigating Change with a Chronic Illness
Turning Wellness into a Lifestyle 